President Donald Trump defended an executive order that he signed Friday that bans people from seven Muslim-majority countries from coming to the United States, blaming problems reported over the weekend at airports nationwide on a Delta Air Lines computer outage, protesters and "the tears of Sen. (Chuck) Schumer."
Senate Minority Leader Schumer, D-New York, told the "Today Show" on Monday that he plans to call for a vote later in the day on repealing the travel ban after he spent the weekend with protesters. He called Trump's executive order "mean-spirited and un-American" at an emotional news conference on Sunday.
>>Related: Trump's immigration ban: What to know
Trump has questioned the authenticity of Schumer's response and framed his emotional display as politically motivated.
In a series of tweets Monday, the president wrote that "only 109 people out of 325,000 were detained and held for questioning."
"There is nothing nice about searching for terrorists before they can enter the country," Trump wrote. "This was a big part of my campaign. Study the world!"
The president signed an executive order to bar individuals from seven Muslim-majority countries for 90 days. The president has repeatedly said that the move is aimed at protecting the nation against extremists looking to attack Americans and American interests.
>> Related: Protests erupt in response to Trump's executive order on immigration
The move prompted protests at airports across the country.
"It was done in such a sloppy and careless way," Schumer said on the "Today Show."
"The slap-dash way it was done was appalling and created the chaos, but much more importantly, this will make us less safe," he said.
It will be up to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to decide whether to allow the vote.
>> Related: Trump immigration ban causes fear anger among Muslims, politicians
"We should repeal this and then we should sit down in a careful, thoughtful way to figure out ways we need to tighten up things against terrorism," Schumer said.
A federal judge in New York has issued an emergency order temporarily barring the U.S. from deporting people from the seven majority Muslim nations subject to Trump's 90-day travel ban.
>> Related: Trump administration in defense mode over controversial Muslim travel ban
The order barred U.S. border agents from removing anyone who arrived in the U.S. with a valid visa from Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen. It also covered anyone with an approved refugee application.
The Department of Homeland Security said Sunday the court ruling would not affect the overall implementation of the White House order.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
About the Author
